The Dance
by zenonkarr
Summary: When a new boy comes to New Moon, all the girls are in envy, especially emily whom he asks, leaving Teddy and Perry jealous, but an awful accident happens and Emily is injured. Will Ilse lose her best friend?


I do not own Emily of New Moon, it is written by L. M. Montgomery and will consists of some made up characters of my own.

Emily of New Moon

The Dance

Emily Byrd Starr looked outside of her bedroom window in the attic of New Moon on Prince Edward Island. She sighed. It was raining out and she had to walk to school in the rain. It's not that she didn't like the rain or anything, cause she loves it when it rains. It's the perfect weather to stay inside and write. She finished getting on her shoes and went downstairs. "Good morning." she said sitting down as her Aunt Laura poured her some orange juice. "How did you sleep last night, Emily?"

"Fine thank you." she said.

They heard a knock at the door. Jimmy went to answer it. "Look who we have." he said as Isle Burnley, Teddy Kent, and Perry Miller came inside.

"Come sit down and have some breakfast with us." Laura said as they did. Laura put out some extra plates. "Emily can you go tell Elizabeth breakfast is ready."

"Sure." she said standing up and running upstairs and knocked on her aunt's door. "Aunt Elizabeth?"

"Come in, Emily." she said.

Emily opened the door and saw her Aunt Elizabeth finishing putting her hair up. "Well what is it child?"

"Aunt Laura says breakfast is ready. Oh and we have three visitors."

"Must be Perry, Isle, and Teddy. Well come on." she said as she ushered out of her room and downstairs.

They ate breakfast and then the four children hurried off to school. They put they're things away and sat down in they're seats. Isle noticed a cute new guy talking to they're teacher Mr. Carpenter and whispered to Emily "Isn't he dreamy?"

Emily nodded and Rhoda Stuart whispered. "I heard he's going to be in our class for the rest of the year."

Jenny Strang whispered. "I hope he's available."

Teddy, Perry and the other boys were curious on what the girls were whispering about. "I hope it's not about that guy." Duncan said.

"Me too." Teddy said.

"He just looks like some rich guy." Perry said.

"All right students, as you all were whispering to each other about the new student, let me introduce him to you. his name is Jason Smith. He will be here with us for the rest of the year as well. He and his parents had just moved to Prince Edward Island and I hope you show him the same courtesy you show everyone else." Mr. Carpenter said as he looked around for an empty seat.

The rows so far looked like this:

JackMelissaDuncan

ShawnEmilyempty

RhodaIlsePerry

JennyJessicaTeddy

"Have a seat next to Emily." he said pointing to the empty seat next to Emily.

Isle looked at Emily and whispered, "Lucky." as did Rhoda and Jenny.

Emily shrugged and looked next to her at Jason. He looked at her and smiled and she smiled back. "You know it may be easier for all of you to understand this next section in our poetry if we got into groups. You can choose who you'd like to be with two to a group, but one group I'd like to pick is Emily and Jason."

Teddy and Perry looked at Emily, since they both wanted to be her partner. "Me?" Emily asked.

"Yes Emily, you. You're the best writer in this class so why not be with Jason so you can help him some."

"Well, okay." she said as everyone moved they're desks next to they're partners.

Jenny and Rhoda, Melissa and Jessica, Duncan and Teddy, Shawn and Jack, Ilse and Perry, and finally Emily and Jason.

"She is so lucky." Isle said.

"Who is?" Perry asked her.

"Emily of course, can't you see how dreamy he is."

Perry looked and saw Emily and Jason talking and Emily giggled. "Yeah, more like a nightmare, Ilse."

"You're jealous." she said opening her book.

Emily opened her book, "Mr. Carpenter, Jason doesn't have a book?"

"Well can the two of you share?"

"Sure we can." Jason said.

Teddy watched and Emily and Jason moved closer together to look at her book. Duncan noticed that Teddy was angry. "Teddy..."

"What? Sorry, Duncan." he said tearing his eyes away from Emily and Jason.

"All right students, time for lunch. You can eat outside since the rain has stopped and has dried up a lot too." Mr. Carpenter said as they all cheered, grabbed they're coats, they're lunches and went outside. "Oh and Jason can I talk to you."

"Sure." he said going back inside.

Ilse, Emily, Teddy, and Perry sat at they're usual place. "Well..." she asked her best friend.

"Well what?"

"Emily please you have to tell me what he's like." Ilse pleaded.

"Who?" Emily asked taking a bite of her sandwich.

"Jason Smith of course." Rhoda Stuart said.

"He's like any other guy." Emily said.

"Emily, he is not like any other guy." Jenny said.

"Okay can you girls not hover like that when we're here." Perry said.

Jenny and Rhoda sighed. "Fine, but if you ask me I'd say all the guys are jealous, especially you Perry Miller." Rhoda said.

"What do I have to be jealous about?" he asked taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Perhaps the fact of the attention Emily is getting from him."

"Rhoda, Mr. Carpenter only wanted me to be his partner." Emily argued.

"Yeah, well hope that he doesn't ask you to the dance, Emily." Jenny said as she and Rhoda walked off.

"What dance?" Emily asked.

"You mean you don't know of the dance Prince Edward Island is having?" Ilse asked.

"No, why?"

"Cause I don't either."

Emily and Ilse both giggled. Teddy looked at Emily, "Emily..."

"Yes, Teddy?" she asked him.

"Um..."

"Okay class, lunch over." Mr. Carpenter said.

Soon school was over and Emily and Ilse walked home with Teddy and Perry. "I don't know the big deal about him." Perry said. "He's just some real rich guy."

"Can we saw jealous." Ilse said looking at Emily. "don't worry Em. If he does ask you to the dance I won't be too upset."

"Ilse... if he was to ask me I'd have to say no."

"What?" Ilse gasped.

"I mean he seems like this great guy, but he's not my type." Emily said.

"And what's your type?" Teddy asked.

Ilse sighed. She knew that Teddy and Perry both had a huge crush on Emily, and Ilse liked Perry. A carriage pulled up to the side of them and stopped. It was a fancy carriage too, expensive. A face looked over at them and smiled. "Jason." Emily said.

"Hello, do you and your friend need a ride Emily?"

Emily looked at Perry and Teddy who shook they're heads and Ilse nodded. "Well. um.. Ilse and I can use the ride."

"What about you two?" Jason asked the boys.

"They love walking." Ilse said.

"But it looks like another storm is coming so we'll come along too." Perry said.

Ilse hurried to get on first. Emily helped her up and Jason grabbed her hand and pulled her up. "You're turn Em." Ilse said.

Jason held out his hand and Emily took it and he started to pull her up. Perry came up from behind Emily, picked her up and put her on the carriage. "Thanks Perry." she said as he nodded and he and Teddy got on and they rode off.

They're first stop was Teddy's house. "Bye Teddy." Emily said waving to him as he waved back.

"Don't forget we're meeting at the beach later." Ilse said.

He nodded and the carriage took off. "Ilse was the next person to be dropped off. "Bye, Emily and Perry." she said smiling. "Thanks so much for the ride, Jason."

"It was my pleasure, Ilse." he said kissing her had.

Ilse practically floated to her house.

Emily and Perry laughed. "Poor Ilse. She's in love."

"With me?" Jason asked.

"Yeah, and so is Rhoda and Jenny." Perry said.

"But they're in love with everyone, Perry." Emily said giggling as Perry's stop came up. He got off. "I'll come to New Moon to get you Em."

"All right.." Emily said waving to Perry as the carriage went to New Moon.

"You live here?" Jason asked shockingly.

"Yeah, it's my Aunt Elizabeth's house." she said as she hopped off the carriage. "Thanks for the ride home, Jason." she said.

"Hey, Emily I kind of heard of this dance that you're town is having and i was wondering since I first saw you if you'd like to come with me."

"I um..."

"I mean just as friends."

"I'd love to." Emily said smiling.

"Emily?" a voice asked coming outside.

"Aunt Laura!" she said waving to her as she came over.

"Hello." Laura said smiling at the boy.

"Aunt Laura, this is Jason Smith. He's new here and in my class. He gave Ilse, Teddy, Perry, and me a ride home. Jason this is my Aunt Laura, well Laura Murray.""Well thank you." she said. "There's a slight chance of another storm coming. Would you like to come in for a bit, Jason?"

"Thank you for the offer, Miss Murray but if a storm is a brewing I got to get home before my parents get worried. I'll see you tomorrow at school, Emily." he said as the carriage took off and Emily and Laura hurried inside.

"Emily he seems a like a very nice boy." Aunt Laura told her.

"Oh, he is, but all the girls at school fancy him and the guys are all jealous."

"Do you fancy him?"

"I suppose, but not as much as Ilse, Rhoda, and Jenny do."

Soon Perry came by for Emily and the two of them walked towards the beach to meet with Ilse and Teddy. "Hey Emily..."

"Yeah, Perry." 

"Um... do you think you would consider going to the dance with me?" he asked.

Emily looked at Perry, "I'm sorry. I can't."

"Oh, Aunt Elizabeth won't let you?"

"No, I was asked."

"Who?"

"Jason."

Perry stopped in his tracks. "Jason? As in not my type Jason?"

"I know, but I was just being polite and he said only as friends, Perry."

Perry sighed and started walking again with his hands in his pocket and Emily caught up. "Well, if it's only as friends I guess so."

"If he didn't ask me first I'd say yes to you Perry."

"Thanks, Emily." he said smiling at her. "That means a lot."

They soon reached the beach. "What took so long?" Teddy asked.

"We were having a talk about the dance."

"You were?" Teddy asked.

"Emily..." Ilse asked looked at her red face. "He asked you didn't he?"

Emily nodded.

"Oh, Emily. Well I said I wouldn't get too upset."

"We're only going as friends, Ilse. You can come too."

"Are you sure?"

Emily nodded as Ilse gave her a big hug. "Save me a dance or two or three with him."

"I will."

"With Perry?" Teddy asked.

"No, with Jason." Perry said gagging.

"I knew he was good for nothing." Teddy said under his breath.

They soon began to collect some washed up dry wood and other stuff. Emily saw the perfect piece of dry wood, near the edge. She walked over towards it and picked it up and when she went to turn around the ground beneath her began to crumble. "Ilse...."

Ilse turned around and saw Emily's scared face. "Emily!" she screamed as Teddy and Perry both turned around and saw Emily fall.

"Emily!" Perry yelled running towards the edge as fast as he could. He saw Emily on a little cliff like place not moving. "Oh, god." he said taking off his coat and slowly climbing down. "Emily, please answer me!"

"Ilse get you're dad!" Teddy said.

Ilse nodded through her tears and ran through the fields and the woods to her house and saw a note.

Ilse,

Went to Murray's.

Dad.

Ilse cried and quickly ran to New Moon and banged on the door. Jimmy answered it. "What's wrong?" he asked as he saw Ilse had been crying.

Elizabeth, Allen, and Laura came out and saw Ilse. Laura hurried towards her. "What's wrong Ilse?"

"It's Emily. Near the cliff. She fell."

They all quickly ran towards the beach. Ilse in the lead. "Hurry!"

Perry finally reached Emily. He checked her pulse and sighed with relief. She was still alive, but barely. He felt some of the little cliff crumbling form they're weight. "Teddy, I'm going to need your help here!"

Teddy moved closer to the cliff leaning over it. "Is she..."

"Barely." Perry said as he carefully picked up Emily. "I need you to grab her."

Teddy nodded and reached down some more and wrapped his feet around a small tree nearby and grabbed Emily's arms. "Becareful with her." Perry said.

Dr. Burnley and Jimmy ran towards Teddy and helped him pull Emily up. He checked her pulse. As Perry climbed up and the cliff shattered into the rocks and water below. He grabbed his coat and put it under Emily's head. "Her pulse is faint." Dr. Burnley said as Ilse handed him his bag.

Jimmy made sure Laura and Elizabeth didn't see the way Emily looked. Her head was cut with blood on it, and she was practically covered in blood and her ankle was twisted around. Ilse kneeled next to Emily and held her hand. "Dad?" she asked crying.

Dr. Burnley looked up at his daughter. "Don't worry Ilse, I'll save her." he said looking at Jimmy. "I'm going to need your help getting her into town."

Jimmy and Dr. Burnley had Emily from her head and feet while Perry carried her from her middle and they quickly went into town.

Rhoda Stuart was outside of her mothers shop. She saw Ilse and Teddy running towards her and Ilse was in tears and Teddy had blood on him. "Mother!" she yelled as Mrs. Stuart hurried out and saw Teddy Ken covered in blood. "What happened?"

"It's Emily." Ilse said crying as Teddy put his arm around her to comfort her.

Mrs. Stuart gasped as she saw Jimmy Murray, Dr. Burnley, and Perry Miller carrying a blood covered Emily and Elizabeth and Laura following quickly behind. "Bring her in." she said as she held open the door and ushered all the customers out of her store and Rhoda cleared off the counter and they set Emily down after Rhoda put some blankets underneath. Dr. Burnley opened his bag and looked in it and started to clean the blood off of Emily so he could see the clean her head wound. Rhoda almost got sick from the sight of all that blood as did Ilse too and they went outside for some fresh air and cried with Elizabeth and Laura. Mr. Carpenter pulled up in his carriage and saw them crying. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Emily fell off the edge of the cliff and got hurt." Ilse said as Laura hugged her tightly.

He quickly went inside and took of his coat. He gasped at the sight of Emily. His best student. "Mr. Carpenter." Perry said.

"What need done, Allen?" he asked.

"I need you to go to Stovepipe Town immediately and get a Dr. Jane Turner."

"Right." he said as Teddy went with him.

He soon came back within the hour with Dr. Turner who checked Emily from head to toe making Perry and Teddy leave too. She allowed Perry back in, since Teddy was sitting next to Ilse crying. "Perry, I'm going to need your help."

"Yes, ma`am?" he asked.

"I need you to help me move her ankle back into position."

"What?"

"The fall broke her ankle, with moving it I can quickly wrap it in a cast."

"All right.. What do I need to do?"

"I need you to talk to Emily, hold her hand."

"All right.." he said grabbing Emily's hand and looked at her. "Em... just hang in there okay. Please you can't leave me now with all I have to tell you." Perry talked to Emily for what seemed like forever.

"Perry, I'm done." Dr. Turner said chuckling.

"Huh? Oh, sorry." he said starting to blush a bit.

Allen checked her pulse. "She's back. Thanks Jane." he said giving her a hug.

"Anything for my little brother." she said giving him a hug back. "Come on, you can use my carriage to get her back to New Moon." she said as they all went there, except for Rhoda and Mrs. Stuart.

Later that night Laura went to check on Emily and to her surprise, a visitor was still there. "You should go home and get some rest, Perry. School in the morning."

"Mr. Carpenter cancelled it." Perry said not looking up and was still holding onto Emily's hand. "Is it all right Miss. Murray if I stay here until she wakes up?"

"You may." Elizabeth said entering the room. "Laura go fetch some blankets and a pillow for Perry."

Laura went off. "Thank you." Perry said.

"How do you think she's doing?" Elizabeth asked sitting next to Perry.

"I'm not real sure, Miss Murray. Dr. Turner and Dr. Burnley said she'll live, but with her broken ankle and they're not sure if it caused any brain damage to her fall."

"Well, if I didn't say it enough before, I'll say it again. Thank you Perry Miller for saving Emily. It means a lot to me as well as Laura and Jimmy."

"I just got there first, Miss. Murray. Ilse noticed first."

"I thanked Ilse and Teddy many times and for the saying of it, don't think I'm getting soft."

"You're turning soft?" a small weak voice asked.

"Emily?!" Elizabeth asked shocked as she saw her eyes open. "Laura! Jimmy!"

Jimmy and Laura ran up stairs, Laura had the blankets and pillows in her hand and they both gasped, "Emily!"

They all gave her a big hug. "What's going on? Perry why aren't you home?"

"I well..."

"He wanted to stay and make sure you woke up." Elizabeth said.

"Aunt Elizabeth you must be going soft for guy to sleep in my own room."

"It was only a one time deal." she said.

Perry smiled at Miss Murray for her save. "How do you feel sprout?" Jimmy asked.

"My head hurts."

"You hit it when you fell." Perry said able to speak again.

"And my leg feels like two tons of written stories just tossed away."

"That would be your cast." Laura said. "When you fell you broke your ankle."

"Oh, no this is terrible." Emily said.

"What is it?"

"The dance is this weekend." she said sadly.

Elizabeth sighed. "Emily with that broken ankle I can guarantee that you won't be dancing any time soon."

"Dr. Burnley said you have to have that cast on for six to eight weeks."

Emily groaned and covered her head with her blanket.

Perry uncovered her face. "Emily..." he said smiling and shaking his head. "Did you really want to go with him?"

"No, but turning him down would be an awful thing for me to do."

"Emily some things in life can be turned down." Elizabeth said.

"You mean how my mother could have turned down my fathers proposal?"

"Yes, but you mother loved your father very much." Laura said. "No matter what Elizabeth told her she never listened."

Dr. Burnley came into the room with Ilse and some lady. "Oh, Emily are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Ilse."

"Let's just make sure of that." the lady told her.

Emily looked at Ilse. "This is Dr. Turner Emily." Dr. Burnley said, "My sister from Stovepipe Town."

"Aunt Jane." Ilse whispered to her.

"Oh, hello."

"Hello dear Emily. I have heard so many good things about you from Ilse, now if the gentlemen would kindly leave I can examine her." she said giving them all a stern look and all left along withi Laura, Elizabeth, and Ilse too.

Jane examined Emily over and over again to make sure nothing else was wrong. "Well, I've came to a decision." she told Emily.

"And I going to die?"

Jane chuckled. "No you won't die my dear. You're ankle is in a cast as you've probably and will be in there from six to eight weeks utill it heals, okay. You twisted it very poorly when you fell. Also no brain damage, just a deep cut which will leave a scar, but not a very big one to ruin your pretty face. I have a wheelchair in my carriage for you to use, although you will be moved downstairs since you can't go up and down the steps very well, I'm afraid you may fall again. Other then that you're fine."

"I won't be able to go to the dance this weekend will I?"

"My dear of course you will, you'll be able to dance in your chair by moving your wheels or have someone strong like that Perry fellow pick you up and dance with you in his arms." Jane said smiling at her. "Do you have a date?"

"Yes."

"Well, if he's a true date then he won't mind if your in a wheel chair or not."

"Thanks you Aunt Jane." she said giving her a hug and Jane left with Jimmy to retrieve the wheel chair.

Ilse walked in with Perry. Ilse gave her a hug and Emily returned the hug. "Well..."

"I have to be in a wheel chair." Emily said.

"Oh, Emily how horrible. Can you go to the dance still?"

Emily nodded and Ilse cheered. Perry chuckled. "Well, won't Jason have a shock when he sees that you're in a wheel chair."

Emily grabbed Perry's hand which shocked him. "Perry please. You must not tell him I'm in a wheel chair."

"But Emily..."

"No, Ilse have him bring me my homework tomorrow please."

"But Mr. Carpenter cancelled school for tomorrow."

"Then make up an excuse for him to come here, please."

"All right." Ilse said.

"Does Teddy know?"

"No, he went home, he was here half the night with you until Perry bribed him into switching with him." Ilse said smiling. "You want me to?"

"Please." Emily nodded.

The next morning Emily woke up and looked around. She wasn't up in her room, she was down in the parlor. "Morning sprout." Jimmy said as he brought her some food.

"Oh, good morning Cousin Jimmy. What time is it?"

"Almost noon sprout."

"Noon, but my chores!" she said trying to get up.

"Emily!" Perry said catching Emily before she fell and set her back onto the couch.

"What's going on?" Elizabeth asked coming into the parlor.

"Emily here was about to get up, Miss Murray." Perry said.

"Emily, you have to stay in bed until Laura or myself or Jimmy or anyone who is here watching over you can help you to your chair."

"But I have to do my chores." she whined.

"All done." two familiar voices said coming into the parlor.

Ilse looked and saw Elizabeth and also Perry in there too. "What happened?"

"Well, someone tried to break an escape to do her chores." Elizabeth said. "Perhaps you two can talk some sense into her." she said. "Come on Jimmy."

"See you later sprout."

"Emily Byrd Starr..." Ilse said giggling. "It's okay we did all your chores for you."

"Thank you" she said smiling.

Laura came in and gave Emily her dress. "Okay out." she ordered Teddy and Perry who gave a pouted look and left the room as Laura and Ilse helped Emily put her dress on. "Do I have to get dressed?" Emily asked. "My pajamas are so comfy."

"But you would like to look nice for your guest in the kitchen wouldn't you?" Laura asked smiling as she opened the doors and Perry, Teddy, and the newcomer came in. Jason Smith. "Emily are you okay? I heard you fell."

"I'm fine." Emily said.

Jason looked at Emily's cast on her ankle. "What happened?"

"It's broken. When she fell it twisted in an agonizing was. It was dreadful." Ilse said and Perry covered her mouth, "We'll let you two talk." he said as they shut the parlor door after they left out into the barn,

"Was it?" he asked.

"I don't know. I don't remember a think that happened." Emily said. "But I can still go to the dance."

"But you can't dance can you?"

"Well, Dr. Turner from Stovepipe Town who is Ilse's Aunt Jane said I could dance in my wheel chair."

"Oh." he said.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I got to go for a little bit, Emily. But I'll be back later okay?"

"All right, bye Jason."

"Bye Emily." he said leaving.

Jason didn't go home though. He went to the store to get Emily some flowers. He didn't know how to say it to her, but he wasn't going to be able to be her date to the dance. He wanted to dance, not sit or push her around. "Hello, Jason." Rhoda said smiling at him.

"Oh, hi Rhoda."

"Did you hear about Emily?"

"Yeah, I just came from New Moon."

"Is she okay? Will she live?"

"Yeah, she has a nasty cut on her forehead with a bloody bandage covering it and her ankle is broken and has a cast on it. She can't dance."

"That's terrible. What are you going to do?"

"I think I know." he said smiling at her and she smiled back.

Emily had written about five long poems on her being bedridden and she had just finished her fifth one. Just being bored waiting for Jason to come back, or have Ilse, Perry, or Teddy come and visit her. No one did, not even Cousin Jimmy, Aunt Laura, or Aunt Elizabeth. There was a knock on the door and Emily smile. "Come in."

Jason walked in with something behind his back. "Here, Emily. These are for you." he said handing her a small bouquet of flowers.

Emily smelled them. "Thank you ever so much, Jason."

"Those are for your getting well and these are I'm sorry." he said handing her the other half of the small bouquet."

"Sorry? What for?"

"I have to break our date for this weekend."

"But why?"  
"I kind of asked someone else."

"Let me guess, you didn't want to just sit around or push you right?" Emily asked angrily.

"I'm sorry Emily."

"Just tell me who it is."

"Rhoda Stuart."

"Rhoda? You asked Rhoda?"

"I'm sorry Emily, but no one is sure if you can ever walk again and if you can't everyone will leave and abandon you." he said hurrying out of the house.

Emily angrily throw both flower bouquets at the window angrily.

Perry was heading in for some water when he saw Jason quickly leave. He looked at the parlor window and saw something hit it. He ran inside. "Miss Murray?" he called.

"I can walk. I can walk." Emily said slowly standing up. "See, I stood up."

"Emily?" Perry asked opening the door slightly in case anything else went flying. He looked in and saw Emily's back to him and she was standing up and kept repeating. "I can walk. I can walk." He slowly went towards her and put his arms around her waist. "Emily what are you doing?"

"I'm going to walk." she said losing her balance and Perry caught her easily and set her on the couch. "Em... you will be able to walk again."

"That's not what he said. He said everyone is afraid I won't be able to walk ever again and everyone would leave and abandon me." she said crying.

"There.. there. Who would say such a mean thing like that Em?"

"Jason, he broke our date to the dance cause I can't dance or walk. He's going with Rhoda Stuart."

Perry took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped Emily's eyes. "Emily you will be able to walk again. Remember how my mom broke her arm, well she's using it as good as new again as if nothing happened to it. That cast is just there to make sure your bones don't move and so it gives your leg time to heal and join again."

"Perry was I near death?"

Perry looked at Emily. "Yes, Em you were. And that's why your Aunt Elizabeth is being so soft. She was afraid of losing you and once your healed she'll become the big grouch she's always been."

"A big grouch, Mr. Miller?" a stern voice asked from the doorway.

Emily giggled as Perry's face turned red and turned and faced Elizabeth Murray. "I meant..."

"I'll let you off this time, Mr. Miller, but when Emily is healed I won't let you forget."

"Yes, Miss Murray." Perry said bowing his hat to her.

Elizabeth sighed and left the room. "Oh and Perry you have chores in the barn with Jimmy I believe."

Perry groaned and Emily patted his head. "Go on, I'll be fine."

"No more walking?"

"No more walking." Emily promised.

The next day Ilse, Teddy, and Perry stopped over that night. "Please come, Emily."

"And see Rhoda dancing with Jason, it would be a total despair."

"Emily, come on you have to come." Teddy pleaded. "Please let us dance with someone other then Ilse."

Emily giggled as Ilse hit Teddy lightly. "Come on Em. I'll carry you piggyback." Perry said.

"No, it's okay. Go have fun." Emily said.

"But Em..."

"Ilse go." she said as they left.

Soon Emily was in the house alone. Aunt Elizabeth, Aunt Laura, and Cousin Jimmy also went to the dance. Emily sighed a she heard a knock on the parlor door, "Come in."

Mrs. Kent and Mrs. Miller came in. "Why Emily Starr we heard you'd be here still. Why aren't you at the dance?" Mrs. Miller asked.

"I couldn't face everyone at the dance in that." she said pointing at her wheel chair.

"That's why we're here dear Emily." Mrs. Kent said. "I know the both of us probably thought you were taking our boys away from us, but you weren't. You helped us get closer with our boys so we're going to help you."

"But I can't go." she said.

"Here is this your dress?"

"Yes, Aunt Laura and Elizabeth made it for me."

"Well put it on child."

"But..."

"Emily Byrd Starr please do as we ask."

"All right.." Emily said as they left the room and came back when she had on the dress.

"Wow you look as pretty as a bumble bee, Emily." Mrs. Kent said smiling at her.

"Thanks, but I still can't go." she said sadly.

"And why not? Don't think that rotten chair there will stop you."

"But I haven't anyone to go with. Ilse is taking Perry and Teddy."

"What about that young boy, Jason?"

"He broke it with me and is going with Rhoda Stuart instead."

"Those Stuart's are all the same." Mrs. Miller sighed.

"But..."

"But that's when I come in." Dr. Turner said coming in and handed Emily a pair of wooden crutches, "You can use these to walk Emily. I was going to give them to you, but they hadn't been made in time."

"Oh, wow, thank you Aunt Jane." she said giving her a hug.

For the next hour they taught Emily how to walk on her crutches and even dance on them too and soon went to the dance.

"Look at that hustle." Ilse said angrily as she saw Rhoda dancing with Jason. "I guess it's a good thing Emily didn't come to see this."

"You didn't look near the door did you, my dear Ilse." her Aunt Jane said.

Ilse, Perry, and Teddy looked at the door and saw Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Kent helped Emily into the dance hall on crutches. They hurried over, Ilse giving her aunt a hug first and hurried over also. "Mom?" Perry asked confused.

"Well, you didn't think we'd let you boys here let these hoodlums around here like the Stuart's take advantage of our two best boys do you?"

"And Ilse I hope you share our boys with Emily." Mrs. Kent said smiling.

"She can have them. Emily thank the heavens you're here. These two are so annoying. All they did was argue about what a jerk Jason was."

Emily giggled. "Actually, that was you, Ilse." Perry said.

"So you guys agreed."

Emily looked and saw Aunt Elizabeth, Aunt Laura, and Cousin Jimmy in a corner talking with Dr. Burnley. She hobbled over there on her crutches. "Emily!" Laura said giving her a hug. "I'm so glad the plan worked, Ilse."

"What plan?" Emily asked looking at Ilse.

"Well, I called my aunt, Perry called his mom, and Teddy called his mom and we worked out this huge plan." she said. "Are you mad?"

"No, I'm not mad." Emily said giving Ilse a hug.

Emily gave Teddy a hug too and turned to give Perry a hug but he wasn't there. Ilse giggled and pointed near the band. Perry was walking to the singer. "All right everyone, we have a special request tonight from a young man named Perry Miller. He said to make it out to a very special and courageous girl named Emily Byrd Starr."

Everyone turned and saw Emily. Jason gasped and walked over. "Jason..." Rhoda started.

"Emily, you're walking?"

"No help to you." Ilse said.

"I'm sorry about the way I treated you Emily. Do you want to dance?"

Perry showed up when he asked that. "Thanks for asking, but no. I'm sorry, this dance is reserved for someone who doesn't care if I can walk or not." she said smiling at Perry. "Shall we Mr. Miller?"

"You bet." he said as they all started to dance.

Laura with Allen, Elizabeth with Jimmy, Ilse with Teddy. "Thanks, Perry." she said.

"What for Em?"

"For everything you've done. Laura told me how you stayed with me all the time, unless she, Aunt Elizabeth, or Dr. Turner kicked you out of the room. And Ilse said how brave you were to climb down and get me."

"Hey couldn't let anything happen to you." he said smiling.

Emily shook her head and smiled. "Thank you for saving my life and being the best friend I could ever have." she said hugging him as he hugged her back. "So what all didn't you have a chance to tell me?"

"What?" he asked startled by her question.

"Well, you said when Dr. Turner was fixing up my ankle there was so much you had to tell me."

"You heard me?" he asked.

"Perry, I may have been on my death bed, but I heard you perfectly well." she said smiling.

"We all thought you were unconscious." Ilse said as she and Teddy danced towards them.

"I was at first, but the movement of my ankle, the pain was excruciating, and I just couldn't open my eyes or mouth for some reason." Emily said.

"Yes, what is it you mean to tell her?" Ilse asked grinning along with Teddy.

"Um... well..." he started to say.

"Yes, please do tell us all." Teddy asked smiling at him.

"That's a story for another time, Emily."

"You mean I have to be near death?"

"No, I'll tell you in about a couple years."

They all laughed and the dance went on and Perry smiled to himself knowing his secret was safe.

"To father who hearth in heaven,

Many things has happened within the few days. A new boy named Jason Smith arrived in town and asked me to the dance, I was ecstatic practically. Then the bad news strikes, I was in a near death experience, almost came to visit you father. But sadly, I am still here. Perhaps with my near life death experiences, I shall stay here until I am old and withered, like Great Aunt Nancy Priest. I am still prying Perry to tell me his secret, but he will not say. I hope it is not bad news.

With Love,

Emily Byrd Starr"


End file.
